Hose handling and storage apparatus



March 4, 1941. G, STEWART 2,234,149

HOSE HANDLING AND STORAGE APPILRATUS Filed Dec. 19, 1938 Pig. 5.

ir v Patented Mar. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

My invention relates to hose handling mechanisms and more particularlyto a new and improved, fast and efiicient mechanism for conveying lawnand garden hose to the cellar of a building structure when it is not inuse.

In my Patent 2,135,736 I have described and claimed a novel apparatuswhich is to be mounted on the cellar window sash of a building structureand which is provided with a plurality of rollers for conveying a lengthof garden or lawn hose from outside the building into the normallyrelatively cool, dark and damp cellar when the hose is not in use and itis desired to store it. This arrangement serves to prolong the life ofthe hose and provides an easy arrangement for getting the hose out ofthe way and out of sight when it is not in use.

I have discovered, however, that the mechanism shown in the patent isnot well adapted for use with different sizes of cellar windows and thata different size mechanism of the type shown in the patent must be madefor each-different size of window sash. Furthermore, this device is notreadily adapted for use on either end of a cellar window sash so thatseparate right hand and left hand type units have to be made which areadapted respectively for use on the right hand and left hand ends of thewindow sash. Furthermore, it is usually desirable to ventilate cellarsin the summer time and often screens are mounted on the outside of thecellar window frames so as to prevent the entrance of insects and verminwhen the cellar windows are open during ventilating periods. The framesof these screens are usually a different size than the window sash sothat the device shown in the patent is not readily adapted to thesedifferent size window screens.

I have also discovered that when the hose is passed through theapparatus into the cellar the portion of the hose passing over theroller tends to oscillate or periodically change its direction by reasonof the normal self-coiling action of the hose when it reaches the cellarfloor or other surface on which it is to be stored. This motion of thehose tends to introduce a certain amount of objectionable frictionbecause it tends to be restrained by the flanges on the rollers.

In accordance with my present invention I provide a new and improvedapparatus for overcoming these difficulties. Thus, in accordance withone feature of my present invention 1 mount my apparatus on a platewhich is in the shape of a right-angled triangle so that the right anglethereof may be fitted into any corner of any size window sash or screenwindow frame. It thus may just as well be mounted on the right hand sideas on the left hand side of the sash or frame. Furthermore, I mount theroller on a pivoted frame so that the position of the roller may readilyadapt itself to changes in the angle of the hose as it passes over theroller and tends to coil itself in the cellar.

An object of my invention is to provide a new andimproved hose handlingapparatus.

My invention will be better understood from the following descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawing and its scope will bepointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a preferred form of myinvention with the cover for the roller opening removed, Fig. 2 is asimilar view with the cover in place, Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailedview of the roller frame and roller, Fig. 4 is a side elevation of theroller frame showing its pivotal mounting, and Fig. 5 is a frontelevation of the mechanism mounted in the upper left hand corner of acellar window sash. Similar reference characters identify the sameelements throughout the several figures.

Referring now to the drawing and first to Fig. 3, a rectangular framellll which may be made of any suitable material, such as butt-weldedstrap iron, has mounted therein a grooved roller I02 mounted on a rivetor bolt I03 passing through the sides of the frame. The roller may bemade of any suitable material and I have found that wood may be usedsatisfactorily. The groove in the roller is substantially semi-circular3 in cross section and substantially corresponds in diameter to thediameter of ordinary garden hose. At the top and bottom of the framethere are provided rivets I04 and ".15 which pass throughrearwardly-extending flanges I06 and H11 at the top and bottom of anopening in a triangular plate I09, as shown in Fig. 4. The plate I09 maybe made of any suitable material such as of sheet iron and one of itsangles is a right angle, as shown in Fig. 1, which is adapted to befitted into the corner of a window sash or screen window frame, as shownmore clearly in Fig. 5 where it is shown mounted in the upper left handcorner of a cellar window sash. The two sides forming the right angleare provided with spaced openings through which screws or bolts may bepassed for fastening the plate in place. These two sides may be of anydesired length and may be equal or unequal in length so long as thelongest side does not exceed the minimum dimension of the smalleststandard size window sash or window screen. A catch H0 is mounted on theplate I09 for fastening in closed position a cover, for the rolleropening in the plate, which is fastened thereto by any suitable meanssuch as by a chain I I I. A stiffening flange I I2 is provided on thecover H3 and this cover is also provided with a pair of tabs H4 whichwhen the cover is in place extend downwardly and in back of the loweredge of the roller frame opening in the triangular plate, as shown bythe dotted lines in Fig. 2. Another flange H5 on the cover engages thecatch llfl snugly when the cover is pushed shut.

The hypotenuse side of plate I09 has a rearwardly extending flange shownby the dotted line in Figs. 1 and 2. In this flange area plurality ofslotted holes through which suitable bolts or rivets H6 are passed foradjustably positioning and clamping an angle bar H1. When the mechanismis used on a window sash the side of the angle bar which extendsoutwardly may be raised or lowered by means of the slotted holeconstruction so that it provides support for the glass which is fittedin the window sash. The window sash varies in thickness and the glassused therein varies in thickness and by means of this construction thedevice is readily adapted to different thicknesses of sash andthicknesses of glass. If the device is used in a window screen frame thescreening is passed between the rearwardly extending flange on thetriangular plate and the flat side of the angle bar which is adjacentthereto so that when the bolts 1 l6- are drawn up the screening will besecurely clamped in place.

The apparatus may be used with a hose which is supplied with water fromeither an outside faucet (sill cock) or a faucet located in the cellar.In the former case the hose is withdrawn from the cellar nozzle firstwhen it is desired to use it and is returned to the cellar nozzle last.Any suitable means may be clamped to the nozzle for preventing it from.passing through the opening and falling into the cellar. In the case ofan outside'fauce't the-hose is returned to the cellar nozzle first andwithdrawn therefrom nozzle last.

While I have shown and described a particular embodiment of myinvention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variouschanges and modifications can be made therein without departing from theinvention and therefore it is aimed in the appended claim to cover allsuch changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scopeof the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by of the sash or frame; thehypotenuse of said plate having an inwardly extending flange, an anglebar of substantially the same length as said hypotenuse, means foradjustably fastening one side of said angle bar to said flange so thatthe other side ofsaid angle bar will support window glass in sash. ofvarying thickness when said mechanism is mounted on a cellar window sashand so that window screening can be clamped between. said flange andsaid bar when said mechanism is mounted on a cellar window screen frame,an opening in said plate, a frame fitted in said opening, means forpivotally mounting said frame in said opening, a. grooved roller mountedin said frame for rotation on an axis which is perpendicular to the axison which said frame is pivotally mounted, and a movable cover for theopening in said plate.

GEORGE F. STE NART.

